Broken ankle — can you still walk? Typically, a minor ankle fracture won’t prevent you from walking . You might even be able to walk right after the injury. If you have a serious break, you’ll need to avoid walking for a few months.
Can a broken ankle be mistaken for a sprain?
A broken ankle can often be mistaken for a sprain , even with an X-ray, due to the complex structure of tissue, muscle, and ligaments concealing the bone. If not properly treated, an ankle break can lead to further pain, damage to the ankle joint, and impede mobility.
How do you know if your ankle is broken or sprained?
Broken ankle — can you still walk? Typically, a minor ankle fracture won’t prevent you from walking . You might even be able to walk right after the injury. If you have a serious break, you’ll need to avoid walking for a few months.
How do you tell the difference between a sprain and a fracture?
To give a shorthand answer of whether your injury is a sprain or fracture, sprains occur in ligaments and are usually joint related . A fracture deals with damage done to the bone.
Which is worse sprain or broken ankle?
A broken ankle is a more severe injury than a sprained ankle . With a clean break that doesn’t need surgery, recovery can take around 6 to 8 weeks. If you need surgery, recovery will take longer. With a minor ankle sprain, it may take around 2 weeks to heal.
Should I go to ER for ankle injury?
Go to urgent care if your pain level and swelling is significant and you have difficulty walking, to the point that you need assistance, due to the pain. Go to the emergency room if your foot is bruised, deformed, or you are unable to walk at all. You may have a fracture, broken bone or serious ligament damage.
Can you fracture your ankle without knowing?
Can I really break my ankle and not know it? It may sound strange, but the answer is a resounding , Yes! While it seems like a broken bone is something you should be able to detect, the truth is that other ankle injuries share similar symptoms.
Can you wiggle your toes with a broken ankle?
Most believe that if they can wiggle their toes or move the ankle around that an ankle fracture has not occurred . The reason this is not true is because the nerves and muscles that allow the movement of the ankle have not been affected by the fracture.
How do you tell the difference between a sprain and a break finger?
Your finger is made up of three different joints. These different joints are supported by ligaments, called collateral ligaments. When you jam your finger, it’s usually because one of these ligaments has been sprained or injured. If the bone fractures, you have a broken finger.
How does a twisted ankle feel?
With most sprains, you feel pain right away at the site of the tear . Often the ankle starts to swell immediately and may bruise. The ankle area is usually tender to touch, and it hurts to move it. In more severe sprains, you may hear and/or feel something tear, along with a pop or snap.
Is a broken bone worse than a sprain?
Higher grade injuries can result in chronic joint instability and pain which may require surgical repair. A fracture is an injury to a bone when the tissue of the bone is broken. Many fractures will as strong as it was originally therefore, higher grade sprains can be worse than a fracture .
How long will my ankle be swollen after fracture?
The ligaments are then often torn too, and cartilage may be damaged. The foot and ankle become swollen, painful and can no longer hold any weight. It takes several days or weeks for the swelling to go down completely, and can take months for the ankle joint to fully recover from the fracture.
What happens if a broken ankle goes untreated?
When a bone fracture is untreated, it can result in either a nonunion or a delayed union . In the former case, the bone doesn’t heal at all, which means that it will remain broken. As a result, swelling, tenderness, and pain will continue to worsen over time.
How do you know if ankle injury is serious?
People with a more severe ankle sprain — characterized by extreme bruising or swelling and an inability to bear weight on the foot without significant pain, or when there doesn’t seem to be any improvement over the first several days after the injury — should seek medical attention, Drs. SooHoo and Williams say.
How much does it cost to fix a sprained ankle?
How Much Does a Sprained or Broken Ankle Cost? Typical costs: Without health insurance, diagnosis and non-surgical treatment for a sprained or broken ankle typically costs less than $500 for a mild to moderate sprain and up to $2,500 or more for a fracture requiring a cast.
When should you go to the hospital for a sprained ankle?
Seek immediate medical attention if you:
Have severe pain or swelling . Have an open wound or severe deformity . Have signs of infection, such as redness, warmth and tenderness in the affected area or a fever greater than 100 F (37.8 C) Cannot put weight on your foot.
